I’m not going to rehash all the things I dislike about Rob Murphy as a coach. He hasn’t changed his approach since he’s been here, so many of us have been saying the same things for years.

But today was a bellwether day, because it showed definitively and finally that Rob Murphy is not a coach that will ever get us to the NCAAs (or even NIT). Because of that, he should be replaced whenever it is fiscally possible to do so.

Some of Murphy’s supporters will say that EMU was simply unlucky today; that Detroit got unsustainably hot from three, and some guy name Long played the game of a lifetime. Others will say that EMU will never be dominant in basketball and that we should be grateful for the product it has. Strangely enough this line of reasoning was used to support the retention of Ron English for years.

The point is this: Detroit, with a roster of scrubs and borderline D1 players, was able to beat EMU at home BADLY. It wasn’t even close. Detroit is in year 1 of its rebuilding project. We are supposed to be MAC title contenders.

We deserve better. Much better. The athletic department reads this site, and I want them to know that astute fans know who Rob Murphy is. I don’t ever expect EMU to be Akron or Kent State and have a decade-long period of dominance. But, we should have a coach capable of consistently leading us to the top four in the conference, with an NCAA appearance once every 5 years. That is my minimum expectation, and that should be yours too. Murphy has given us years of evidence of failure. Time to move on.

(11-24-2018 04:37 PM)holybovine Wrote:  I’m not going to rehash all the things I dislike about Rob Murphy as a coach. He hasn’t changed his approach since he’s been here, so many of us have been saying the same things for years.

But today was a bellwether day, because it showed definitively and finally that Rob Murphy is not a coach that will ever get us to the NCAAs (or even NIT). Because of that, he should be replaced whenever it is fiscally possible to do so.

Some of Murphy’s supporters will say that EMU was simply unlucky today; that Detroit got unsustainably hot from three, and some guy name Long played the game of a lifetime. Others will say that EMU will never be dominant in basketball and that we should be grateful for the product it has. Strangely enough this line of reasoning was used to support the retention of Ron English for years.

The point is this: Detroit, with a roster of scrubs and borderline D1 players, was able to beat EMU at home BADLY. It wasn’t even close. Detroit is in year 1 of its rebuilding project. We are supposed to be MAC title contenders.

We deserve better. Much better. The athletic department reads this site, and I want them to know that astute fans know who Rob Murphy is. I don’t ever expect EMU to be Akron or Kent State and have a decade-long period of dominance. But, we should have a coach capable of consistently leading us to the top four in the conference, with an NCAA appearance once every 5 years. That is my minimum expectation, and that should be yours too. Murphy has given us years of evidence of failure. Time to move on.

Excellent post except for one thing....
You're dead wrong in thinking EMU can not be Kent State or Akron we can be a better program than them. Kent State was nothing until they hired our assistant (Gary Waters) and then they followed that up with good coaching hires. Gragg screwed EMU with Murphy contract.

(11-24-2018 04:57 PM)Luckeyone Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 04:37 PM)holybovine Wrote:  I’m not going to rehash all the things I dislike about Rob Murphy as a coach. He hasn’t changed his approach since he’s been here, so many of us have been saying the same things for years.

But today was a bellwether day, because it showed definitively and finally that Rob Murphy is not a coach that will ever get us to the NCAAs (or even NIT). Because of that, he should be replaced whenever it is fiscally possible to do so.

Some of Murphy’s supporters will say that EMU was simply unlucky today; that Detroit got unsustainably hot from three, and some guy name Long played the game of a lifetime. Others will say that EMU will never be dominant in basketball and that we should be grateful for the product it has. Strangely enough this line of reasoning was used to support the retention of Ron English for years.

The point is this: Detroit, with a roster of scrubs and borderline D1 players, was able to beat EMU at home BADLY. It wasn’t even close. Detroit is in year 1 of its rebuilding project. We are supposed to be MAC title contenders.

We deserve better. Much better. The athletic department reads this site, and I want them to know that astute fans know who Rob Murphy is. I don’t ever expect EMU to be Akron or Kent State and have a decade-long period of dominance. But, we should have a coach capable of consistently leading us to the top four in the conference, with an NCAA appearance once every 5 years. That is my minimum expectation, and that should be yours too. Murphy has given us years of evidence of failure. Time to move on.

Excellent post except for one thing....
You're dead wrong in thinking EMU can not be Kent State or Akron we can be a better program than them. Kent State was nothing until they hired our assistant (Gary Waters) and then they followed that up with good coaching hires. Gragg screwed EMU with Murphy contract.

I think we can aspire to that level. I agree that if we made an AMAZING hire, that is our program's ceiling. But I would be content with consistent top 4 finishes in the MAC, because that means you have a chance to win the MAC tourney every year.

Wait out the season. I haven't seen anything that would warrant him cleaning out his desk midseason.

Wouldn't it be great if he got a job as an NBA scout and quit? I'll write him the best letter of recommendation ever if he's at all interested.

Seriously, does he even really want the EMU job? Aren't his wife and kids still back in Syr? I get the feeling he was looking at EMU as a stepping stone job but that plan has vanished. Now he's just going through the motions.

(11-24-2018 05:34 PM)dansplaining Wrote:  Wait out the season. I haven't seen anything that would warrant him cleaning out his desk midseason.

I agree, there is no need for a mid-season change. But it does seem like we are in for another competitive yet disappointing year. (Which May or may not be worse than a coaching change)

(11-24-2018 05:59 PM)RamyEMU Wrote:  

(11-24-2018 05:34 PM)dansplaining Wrote:  Wait out the season. I haven't seen anything that would warrant him cleaning out his desk midseason.

I agree, there is no need for a mid-season change. But it does seem like we are in for another competitive yet disappointing year. (Which May or may not be worse than a coaching change)

Braun took over for Boyce mid season the the team finished well.

Luckey, Bovine and all, I think I actually have a lower opinion of Rob's coaching performance than you guys do.

For the sake of the University and the athletic department, we just cannot afford to buy him out now. He is under contract through next year period.

Take comfort in one thing from today. I had this game in the "easy" column for his 20 win season this year. Now he will need to win another conference game to make up for it.